1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tools and guide devices therefor, and more particularly to a novel infinitely adjustable routing template to be placed over a work piece and providing guiding edges for a router to cut ornamental grooves, recesses, steps, ledges and the like in the work piece, such as in a cabinet door.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of powered routers in custom cabinet work for the cutting of ornamental grooves, recesses, steps, ledges and the like in a decorative manner to provide a design on a work piece, such as a cabinet door and the like, has long been known in the art of woodworking. However, while such routers have great flexibility, a craftsman often experiences difficulty in maintaining the routing bit of the powered router in a pre-determined position on the work piece as it is passed along the work being routed. Accordingly, the need developed to provide for guide means for use with powered routers for the accurate guiding of the router over the work piece being routed.
Accordingly, guide devices were developed in the prior art for use with powered routers to guide the same along and over a work piece. However, such prior art guide devices have been of a rather complicated and fragile structure requiring special skills and knowledge as to the handling and care thereof. Examples of such prior art devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,540,130; 3,199,556; and 2,652,866.
A disadvantage of such prior art structures is that they require the use of a specific special template for each design being routed, or alternatively, are manufactured of a multiplicity of different interconnected components requiring great care in the assembly and adjustment thereof to assure accurate alignment of the various components.
A further disadvantage of such prior art templates is that while they are adjustable they do not lay flat on the work piece and thus require special care in the use thereof as portions of the template tend to flex during use of the template providing for uneven depth of the recess or groove being routed, this adversely affecting the quality of the craftsmanship performed on the work piece.
Still a further disadvantage of such prior art templates is that guide members must be utilized therewith in order to provide for clearance of the router guide bushing around adjusting brackets utilized to secure the various components of the template together, as otherwise such adjusting brackets would interfere with the free movement of the router and cause distortions in the ornamental design being routed into the work piece.
Prior art devices thus suffer many problems and difficulties in attempting to provide a suitable template for guide of a powered router and that while such prior devices have somewhat improved the functionality of a router being utilized for the routing of an ornamental design on a cabinet door, they have failed to provide a suitable completely adjustable and completely dependable routing template requiring no guide members if none are desired, one which is easy to use and dependable in operation, one which is fully adjustable to provide for a wide variety of designs, and one which is sturdy and will not flex or damage the work piece or the resultant groove or recess being routed.